Rebirth of the Republic of China: The Rise of China

Japan-Soviet Union

In the case that Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov had no idea, the Chief of Staff of the Far Eastern Military Region had a fairly pertinent suggestion, which Voroshilov immediately agreed to.

As this secret telegram was sent to the General Command of the Soviet Far Eastern Army’s West Route Army by telegram, the chief of staff of the Far Eastern Military Region, who was ordered by Voroshilov, also quickly dispatched a large number of scouts, bringing the expectations of the entire Far Eastern Army General Command, Embark on a journey to scout the safety of the entire retreat route.

Although Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov is full of expectations for the reconnaissance force, there is an old saying that 'the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment'.While he waited anxiously, the chief of staff with a bitter face walked into his temporary headquarters with his brows furrowed.

Before Voroshilov could speak, the chief of staff had already replied in a heavy tone: "Commander-in-Chief, the latest news from the reconnaissance force... a supply station [-] kilometers away from the Vladivostok military port has been attacked by unknown persons a few days ago. The large amount of supplies hoarded in the supply station by the military area were all destroyed, and the defenders of a battalion were also wiped out...”[

"In addition, a small Russian town [-] kilometers away from the Vladivostok military port was also attacked by unknown people. The whole town was burned to the ground, and no food or Soviets were found..."

Having said that, the chief of staff looked away from the telegram in his hand.Looking at Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov, whose last ray of hope had been shattered by the telegram in his hand, he said with a look of regret: "Commander-in-Chief, I will not read the following content. The current situation our Commander-in-Chief is facing Like the West Route Army, all supply stations and villages and towns along the entire Siberian Railway have been devastated by the Chinese army. The hundreds of kilometers in front of us have become a real human zone..."

The escape route was cut off, and the hope was dashed.Voroshilov, who had no way out, calmed down slowly.

After thinking for a while, the commander-in-chief Voroshilov, who was still looking desperate just now, unexpectedly exuded a strong murderous aura.

Facing the frowning in front of him, the chief of staff who also looked desperate said: "Chief of staff, without these supply stations, the 20 soldiers under our command will be in the same predicament of food shortage as the West Route Army. If we can't figure it out immediately The solution is to rely on the bad weather in the Far East. They can defeat us..."

"In addition, the 20 elite Red Army troops of the West Route Army can surrender to the Chinese army, but we cannot... We represent the entire Soviet Far East Military Region and the Soviet government. Once we voluntarily surrender to the Chinese army, we will slap the Soviet government in the face. To slap Comrade Stalin in Moscow in the face..."

"So. Judging from the current situation, there is only one way left for us to go, and that is to fight the Chinese army to the end."

Although Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov's words were outspoken and outraged for a moment, the Chief of Staff, who had been standing beside him frowning, nodded in agreement.

subsequently.Facing Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov, who had slowly regained his sanity and fighting spirit from despair, he asked rhetorically, "Commander-in-Chief, how should we fight next... I believe that after knowing the situation on the battlefield, in order to survive. For the honor of the Soviet government and for the families in the rear. The 20 soldiers will definitely fight to the death under the leadership of the commander-in-chief."

Voroshilov nodded very satisfied, but he didn't answer right away.Instead, facing a combat staff officer standing beside him, he decisively ordered: "Map... the map of the Far East, the map of the world, I want to..."

Soon, two large maps were placed in front of Voroshilov.Then, under the signal of the chief of staff, the latest enemy situation in the Far East was marked on the map by the two staff in the shortest time for Voroshilov's reference.

Although Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov's battlefield command ability has not reached the level of a famous Soviet general, but because he has been with Stalin for a long time, his vision and analysis of the overall situation are still very good.

Picking up a pencil, drawing a big circle on the map, he opened his mouth to analyze: "According to the report of the reconnaissance force, all the supply stations and villages and towns in this area have been destroyed by the Chinese army. Centered on Vladivostok Well, the Far East region with a radius of at least [-] kilometers has been completely turned into a populated area. That is to say, if our Far Eastern Army Command, including hundreds of thousands of soldiers under its command, wants to obtain new supplies, it will be difficult to survive the interruption of the Siberian Railway. Now, you have to travel [-] kilometers outwards before you can realize this wish..."

"However, the remaining supplies in our hands can last for two to three days at most, and there is simply not enough supplies to walk through this [-]-kilometer-long human zone. Therefore, it is necessary for us to retreat along the railway. Said it didn't work anymore..."

In the face of the facts, none of the subordinates who came successively refuted Voroshilov's analysis.And transfer the last hope in my heart to the commander-in-chief who just took office in front of me, hoping that the commander-in-chief can point out a clear way for everyone.

Seeing the eager eyes of his subordinates looking at him, Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov felt elated.You know, this scene before him has never happened since he took office as the commander-in-chief of the Far East Army.

Commander-in-chief Voroshilov is confident that as long as he can find a way to successfully bring the 20 troops in front of him out of this deadly enemy, his position in the Far Eastern Military Region will become unshakable.At that time, I will become the real commander-in-chief of the Far East Military Region.

Thinking of this, and then thinking of the battle ideas that have become increasingly clear in my heart.A strange and mysterious smile quickly passed from Voroshilov's face.

After quickly drawing a circle in Vladivostok, which he had just given up with a pencil in his hand, he said in a startling way: "Comrades, since we can't get out of this predicament on land, we can completely consider the sea that we have never considered before." , retreating from the sea...”[

"Break out by sea..." The chief of staff's eyes lit up, and he suddenly thought of something.However, this look only stayed in the chief of staff's eyes for less than ten seconds before it became dim.

Although I don't want to refute Voroshilov when he is in high spirits, but.As the chief of staff of the Far East Military Region, he still stood up very dutifully.He opened his mouth and asked: "Commander-in-Chief, your idea is good. However, there is no way to realize it... Losing the Far East Fleet, even if all of our 20 troops retreat to the seaside, we cannot retreat by sea..."

For a moment, the hope that had just been ignited in everyone's eyes became dim again.However, the chief of staff was surprised.The expression on Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov's face did not change in the slightest.

After a pair of eyes quickly shot at him, he said confidently: "Chief of Staff, you are worrying too much... There is no Far East Fleet, and we still have a fleet that can be used. This plan requires the approval of Comrade Stalin in Moscow. A navy larger than the Far East Fleet will surround Vladivostok within a day and destroy the Chinese navy occupying Vladivostok."

Hearing this, a deep puzzled look quickly appeared on the chief of staff's face.Then, he lay directly on the map and began to look for the naval fleet that Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov said along the coastline.

However, what puzzled the chief of staff was. Two minutes passed, and apart from finding some inland river fleets that were no match for the Chinese navy, I didn't even find a naval fleet that could go to sea.

When there was really no other way, the chief of staff could only turn his suspicious eyes back to Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov, and asked, "Commander-in-Chief, I don't know what kind of naval fleet you are talking about?"

Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov said with a mysterious face: "Chief of Staff, the fleet I am talking about is not the Soviet fleet. It is the Japanese combined fleet that also has a deep hatred with the Chinese National Defense Force..."

Hearing the words 'Japan Combined Fleet', the chief of staff who had been in the Far East stood up suddenly like a frightened rabbit.

Facing Voroshilov, he asked in disbelief: "Commander-in-Chief, you mean to ask for help from the Japanese Far East Fleet... No, as the chief of staff of the Far East Military District, I absolutely disagree with this opinion. Although the Japanese Far East Fleet is China's The enemy of the Wehrmacht, but it is also the enemy of the Soviet Red Army. He is also eager to see through the Vladivostok military port and wants to take it for himself. Once we ask the Japanese Far East Fleet for help, it will not only lose the face of the Soviet government, but also make Vladivostok In the hands of the Japanese forever. Besides, even if we ask the Japanese Combined Fleet for help, the Japanese Combined Fleet may not help the old enemy..."

In order to win people's hearts, Voroshilov can once or twice endure the chief of staff making things difficult for him.However, as long as he is alone, it is impossible to endure the opponent's difficulties everywhere, not to mention that he is the commander-in-chief of the Far East Military Region in name.Facing another merciless rebuttal from the Chief of Staff, Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov finally got angry.

After glaring at the chief of staff in front of him, he asked with a dissatisfied face: "Chief of staff, who told you that I was going to ask for help from the Japanese combined fleet... Who told you that I planned to send the Vladivostok military port to the Japanese combined fleet?" The fleet? As a subordinate, don't you just question the decision of the superior..."

After Voroshilov's series of rhetorical questions, the chief of staff could only blushed and shut his mouth very aggrieved.

Seeing this, the commander-in-chief's tense face finally relaxed.As if looking at the chief of staff in front of him, he pointed directly at the map and began to analyze: "Comrades, there is a good saying 'the enemy of the enemy is a friend'. Now, my Soviet government, the Chinese National Defense Force, and the Japanese government are exactly this kind of map. relation…"

"The Far Eastern Military Command suddenly launched an attack on the three northeastern provinces of China. The most important reason is that the hundreds of thousands of Japanese Kwantung Army entrenched in the three northeastern provinces were wiped out by the Chinese National Defense Forces... Hundreds of thousands of elites were wiped out. This is definitely a big deal for a country. An unprecedented great hatred. Under such circumstances, do you think that the Japanese government will give up this military cooperation with our Soviet government, and take revenge or eliminate the great enemy of the Chinese National Defense Force?"

Speaking of this, Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov paused for a while, and after rearranging another thought in his mind, he continued: "From another perspective, the Chinese National Defense Force has developed to a very strong point. Once Let the Chinese National Defense Forces continue to develop at this speed in the three northeastern provinces, and even the entire Far East. Whether it is for the Japanese government or the Soviet government, it will be a very huge disaster..."

"There is another problem. I believe that as long as we make it clear to the Japanese government, even if our Soviet government does not pay any price, the Japanese combined fleet must send troops to help us wipe out the Chinese navy occupying Vladivostok..."

At this moment, even the Chief of Staff of the Far East Military Region looked aggrieved.They were all attracted by the reasons Voroshilov was going to say next.The aggrieved expression on his face quickly disappeared, replaced by a look of expectation.Looking at the battle map thrown on the ground, he asked, "What is the problem that allows the Japanese combined fleet to send troops to help us eliminate the Chinese navy that is occupying Vladivostok without any compensation..."

Commander-in-chief Voroshilov did not hesitate, and drew a circle with a pencil on the map of Vladivostok, Qingdao, and Lushunkou respectively.He said: "Comrades, look at the map. Once Vladivostok is occupied by the Chinese navy, combined with Qingdao and Lushun, which are already under the control of the Chinese navy, North Korea, which is occupied by the Japanese government, is already half surrounded by the Chinese navy..."

"What's more, the Japanese mainland will be more easily attacked by the Chinese navy. It will even be attacked by the enemy..."

Having said that, Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov drew two big arrows on the map with a pencil again.The direction of these two arrows, with one exception, all point to the Japanese mainland.As for the starting point of the arrow, it is Qingdao, China, and Vladivostok, which is currently under the occupation of the Chinese navy.

Seeing the suddenly enlightened expressions gradually showing on everyone's faces.Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov, who put down the pencil, seemed to be elated, and asked the subordinates around him with high spirits: "Comrades, everyone still thinks that the Japanese combined fleet should send troops to Vladivostok. We lost the Soviet Union. Do you want to ask the Japanese government for help?”[

Just when everyone shook their heads.The chief of staff seemed to have forgotten the situation he was in just now, and reminded him again: "Commander-in-chief, don't you worry that after the Japanese combined fleet destroys the Chinese navy, it will directly occupy Vladivostok and take Vladivostok for its own use?"

Commander-in-Chief Voroshilov shook his head with a so-called face, and asked in his own slightly mocking tone: "Chief of Staff, do you think that with the current capabilities of the Japanese government, it dares to cooperate with the Chinese National Defense Force and the great Soviet Union at the same time?" Is the government fighting against the enemy at the same time?"

"Of course not..." The chief of staff subconsciously replied with a face of sudden realization.

Then, he analyzed thoughtfully: "Commander-in-Chief, I understand... After the losses on the Chinese battlefield, the current Japanese national power does not allow them to experience another big battle. Even if they are jealous of Vladivostok, they dare not occupy it. It. Otherwise, the weak Japanese government will have to face two powerful enemies at the same time: the Soviet government and the Chinese National Defense Force..."

Because of the successive defeats of the Kwantung Army in the three northeastern provinces of China, the Japanese Inuyang cabinet was ruthlessly overthrown by the people.Then, under the order of Emperor Hirohito of Japan, the Saito Cabinet immediately became the new cabinet of the Japanese government.

The Prime Minister of the Cabinet has changed, and the corresponding Prime Minister of the Navy has also changed from Otsuka Sensei to the current Keisuke Okada.

As a large number of imperial troops participated in the military operation to suppress domestic riots, the uprisings and civil strife that swept the country finally began to have good results after a month-long suppression.

As news of the quelling of city riots spread to the prime minister's office, Prime Minister Saito, who had been tense since taking office for a month, fearing that the position of prime minister would be unstable under his ass, finally relaxed.

However, this relaxation lasted less than two days before it was disrupted by an urgent telegram brought by Navy Prime Minister Keisuke Okada.Seeing the nervous expression on Keisuke Okada's face, Prime Minister Saito knew that if it wasn't for the military situation, the veterans of the navy who had always been sitting on the Diaoyutai in front of him would never show such a nervous look.

Sure enough...the Chinese National Defense Force, which had just eaten hundreds of thousands of elite troops from the Empire on the Chinese battlefield, became restless again...

"Vladivostok, the Chinese Navy actually occupied Vladivostok, the headquarters of the Soviet Far East Military Region..." After reading the telegram, Prime Minister Saito asked back with a look of shock.

Naval Minister Keisuke Okada nodded silently, and then said: "Your Excellency, it is not the Chinese navy that occupies Vladivostok, but the naval fleet of the National Defense Force... Not only that, but we also learned from the secret intelligence line: the incident that took place in Northeast China In the Sino-Soviet campaign, the Chinese National Defense Forces had already achieved phased victories. Once the campaign continues like this, the 40 Soviet Red Army that the Soviet Far East Military Region once again put into the battlefield in Northeast China will face the end of the entire army being wiped out."

Seeing that Keisuke Okada was about to continue, Prime Minister Saito waved his hand directly and said: "The life and death of the 40 troops of the Soviet Far East Military Region has nothing to do with the Empire of Japan. I just want to know that once Vladivostok is captured by the National Defense Forces Navy How much impact will the occupation of the fleet have on the entire Great Japanese Empire..."

After a short period of contemplation, the Minister of the Navy Keisuke Okada replied solemnly: "Your Excellency, before answering this question, I must first inform the Prime Minister of a piece of information: the reason why the Navy fleet of the National Defense Forces was able to occupy Vladivostok in a short period of time and completely annihilate the Far East Fleet .their submarine force, again, plays a very important role..."

"Once Vladivostok is occupied by the Chinese navy, their absent submarine forces can attack from both Qingdao and Vladivostok, China, and continue to carry out sneak attacks on the major naval ports of the Empire of Japan, and even cut off the routes of the Empire of Japan to communicate with the outside world. Therefore, For the future of our Great Japanese Empire, the Vladivostok military port must not fall into the hands of the Chinese..."

On this matter related to the future of Japan, Prime Minister Saito's expression became serious in an instant.Quickly walk over to the huge world map and start analyzing. Five minutes later, the dejected Prime Minister Saito had to admit what Keisuke Okada said. After a long sigh, he asked the Prime Minister of the Navy in front of him: "Mr. Sending troops immediately to help the Soviet Far East Military District destroy the Wehrmacht Navy Fleet occupying Vladivostok will not do any good?"

"Kayi, for the living environment and future of the Great Japanese Empire, the Imperial United Fleet must attack to destroy the National Defense Forces Navy Fleet entrenched in Vladivostok..." Keisuke Okada affirmed without hesitation. (to be continued...)